Trap.



" PATENTED FEB. 11, 1908. B. SGHMITT- TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED nov.2'5,1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l 7 W1 'INESSES Tu: nouns rzr tps co, wasnnmmu, n. c.

PATENTVED FEB. 11, 1908.

B. SGHMITT. TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25,1907,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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BASILIUS SOHMITT, OF BRAZIL, NORTH DAKOTA.

TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed November 25' 1907'. Serial No. 403'795.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BASILIUS SCHMITT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brazil, in the county of Pierce and State of North Dakota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traps; andv I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in traps and moreparticularly to that class employed for catching animals and my objectis to provide means for catching an animal as it leaves its burrow orrun-way.

A further object is to provide a trigger and extend the same in positionto be engaged by the animal, whereby the trap will be sprung and a stillfurther object is to provide a signal for the trap, whereby theoperation of the same will be indicated.

- Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application,Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved trap in its set position.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectionalview as seen on line 33, Fig. 2, and, Fig. 4 is a sectional view as seenon line 44, Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the bodyof my improved trap, which is preferably cylindrical, one end of saidbody being adapted to extend into the runway 2, so that the animal inemerging from the run-way, will enter the body 1.

Extending at right angles from the face of the body 1 is a tubular arm3, in which is slidably mounted a plunger 4, one end of the plungerhaving a head 5, thereon, which carries impaling prongs 6, said prongsbeing so arranged that they will pass laterally through the opening inthe body and impale an animal therein.

The arm 3 is provided with a block 7, through which the plunger 4extends, the inner end of the plunger finding a bearing in the block andto cause the prongs to move outwardly from the arm and with considerableforce, a tension spring 8 is placed around the plunger between the block7 and head 5,

the tension of said spring being such that when the head is released,the spring will move the prongs outwardly with suflicient force to passthe prongs through the body of the animal and securely hold the sameuntil the prongs are again withdrawn into the arm.

The head 5 is provided with a projection 9, which is adapted to beengaged by a slip 10, on a latch 11, said latch being pivotally securedto an extension 12, carried by the arm 3, said extension extendingthrough a slot 13 in the latch 11, the meeting edges of the lip andprojection being curved, so that the projection will freely pass by thelip and be engaged thereby.

The plunger 4 is operated to draw the prongs 6 within the arm 3 bypivotally securing a standard 14 to the outer end of the arm 3 andextending a link 15 between the standard and the end of the plunger 4,said link extending through a slot 16 in the arm 3 and is of such lengththat when the prongs are moved into the body 1, the standard 14 will bein a vertical position and when it is desired to withdraw the prongsfrom the body and into the arm 3, the standard 14 is moved to the axialplane of the arm 3, which will result in moving the plunger 4longitudinally through the arm until the projection 9 is moved beyondand engaged by the lip 10, in which position it is held until the trapis again sprung.

In order to operate the latch 11 and release the lip from the projection9, a lever 17 is pivotally secured to the upper end of the extension 12,one end of which terminates in a curved finger 18, while the oppositeend thereof is provided with a frame-like structure 19, which extendsover the upper end of the body 1 and effectually stops the passage ofthe animal through the body. 7

The lever 17 serves the purpose of a trigger and when the animal engagesthe frame 19 in its efforts to escape, the finger 18 depresses the latch11 and raises the lip out of engagement with the projection 9, when thespring 8 will throw the prongs 6 outwardly and impale the animal thereonand in order to increase or decrease the movement of the lever 17required to release the lip 10 from the projection 9 the finger 18 isprovided with a set screw 20, the lower end of which is adapted toengage the latch 11 and by turning the set screw downwardly through thefinger, a shorter movement will be required to operate the lever andlikewise a longer movement when the set screw is turned in the oppositedirection.

The lip is normally held in the path of the projection 9 by means of aspring 21, which is directed around a stem 22 extending upwardly fromthe arm 3, said stem entering an opening 23 in the latch, said springbeing lo cated between the arm and latch, so that up- Ward pressure willbe directed on the latch at all times.

The free end ofthe standard 14 is provided with a signal 24, so that itcan be readily ascertained from a distance when the trap has been sprungand as the trap is adapted to be set at various angles, the upper end 25of the arm 14 is curved and provided with an elongated slot 26, throughwhich extends a binding screw 27, said binding screw engaging the staff28 of the signal, so that said staff may be set at various angles to thelongitudinal plane of the standard, the lower end of the staff 28 beingpivotally secured to the standard at a point below the curved end 25.

In operation, the lower end of the body 1 is placed in the open end ofthe run-way 2 and the standard 14 then moved in alinement with the axialplane of the arm 3, thereby setting the trap and as soon as the animalattempts to leave the run-way and presses against the frame 19, thelatch 11 will be released from the projection 9 and the animal impaledon the prongs 6, at the same time the standard will be swung to theposition shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, or at right angles tothe axial plane of the arm 3 and by having the signal 24 at the end ofthe standard 14, it can be readily ascertained from a distance when thetrap is sprung.

l/Vhat I claim is:

1. The herein described trap, comprising a body, an arm on said body, aplunger longitudinally movable in said arm, a head at one end of theplunger, prongs on said head, means to move said prongs into the bodyportion, a standard pivotally secured to one end of said arm, a linkbetween said standard and plunger, whereby the prongs may be moved intothe arm by lowering said standard, a trigger adapted to hold the prongswithin the arm until released and means cooperating with said triggerand extended over one end of the body to operate said trigger whenpressure is directed thereon.

2. In a trap of the class described, the combination with a body, havingan opening therethrough; of an arm on said body and preferably at rightangles thereto, prongs adapted to enter said body, a plunger in saidarm, a head between said plunger and prongs,

a latch adapted to engage said head and normally hold the prongs withinthe arm, means whereby the prongs may be moved into the head, a leveradapted to engage said latch and release the same from the head and aframe on said lever adapted to extend over one end of the body, wherebywhen an animal engages said frame, the trigger will be released from thehead and means to move the prongs into the body under ressure.

3. In a trap of the class escribed, the combination with a body, havinga tubular arm thereon; of a plunger in said arm, a head on said plunger,prongs on said head adapted to be moved into or out of said body, meansto engage said head and hold the prongs within the body, additionalmeans whereby the head may be released, a spring adapted to move theprongs into the body, a standard pivotally secured to one end of thearm, a link between said standard and plunger adapted to move the prongsinto the arm when the standard is lowered and a signal at the upper endof said standard.

4. A trap of the class described, comprising the combination with abody, an arm on said body, a plunger in said arm, prongs on saidplunger, means to normally hold the prongs in the arm and additionalmeans whereby said prongs may be released of a standard pivotallysecured to said arm, means to connect said standard with the plunger, asignal pivotally secured to the upper end of said standard and meansWhereby said signal may be adjusted.

5. A trap of the class described, comprising the combination with a bodyand a tubular arm on said body; of a plunger slidably mounted in saidarm, a head on said plunger, prongs fixed to said head, a spring adaptedto move said prongs into the body, a latch pivotally secured to saidarm, one end of which is adapted to engage said head and normally holdthe prongs in the arm, means to hold the latch in the path of said head,a lever pivotally mounted above said latch, a curved finger at one endof said lever, means to increase or decrease the stroke of the fingerrequired to release the latch, a frame at the opposite end of saidlever, adapted to extend over one end of the body and means whereby saidhead may be moved into engagement with the latch.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

BASILIUS SOHMITT.

Witnesses:

RooHUs EISENZIMMER, JosEPF HOBBORT.

